Carton flat set up mechanism



Sept. 20, 1966 M. VAN ANTWERPEN ETAL CARTON FLAT SET UP MECHANISM 6Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 22, 1962 INVENTORS MARTIN VANANTWERPEN LESLIE 6. FREEDY BY F 9/9/ p 1966 M. VAN ANTWERPEN ETAL3,273,472

CARTON FLAT SET UP MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed Aug. 22. 1962INVENTORS MARTIN- VAN ANTWERPEN LESLlE 6. FREEDY p 20, 1966 M. VANANTWERFEN ETAL 3,2

CARTON FLAT SET UP MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Aug. 22,1962 \9 INVENTOFlS MARTIN VAN ANTWERPEN LESLIE G. FREEDY BY y AW Sept.20, 1966 M. VAN ANTWERPEN ETAL 3,273,472

CARTON FLAT SET UP MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 22, 1962 llll I I l I IPI INVENTORS M7 MARTIN VAN ANTWERPEN LESLIE e. FREEDY p 0, 1966 M. VANANTWERPEN ETAL 3,273,47z

CARTON FLAT SET UP MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 22, 1962 6 Sheet$-Sheet5 MART!N VAN ANTWERPEN LESLIE 6. FREEDY p 0, 1966 M. VAN ANTWERPEN ETAL3,273,472

CARTON FLAT SET UP MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Aug. 22,1962 INVENTORS MARTIN VAN ANTWERPEN LESLIE G. FREEDY United StatesPatent 3,273,472 CARIQN FLAT SET U1? MECHANISM Martin Van Antwerpen andLeslie G. Freedy, Milwaukee, Wis, assignors to Variant Company, Inc,Milwaukee,

Vis.

Original application Au 22, 1962, Ser. No. 218,700, now Patent No.3,247,645, dated Apr. 26, 1966. Divided and this application Get. 6,1965, Ser. No. 493,36?

3 Claims. ((11. 93-53) This invention appertains to packaging machinesand more particularly to a novel mechanism for setting up carton blanksso that articles with a cushioning member thereabout can be moved into aset up carton, and this invention is divided out of our co-pendingapplication Serial No. 218,700, filed August 22, 1962, now Patent No.3,247,645, issued April 2-6, 1966, and entitled Automatic Machine forPackaging Cabinets.

The machine shown and described in our co-pending application isdesigned to package any desired article; however, in the presentadaptation, the machine has been shown for handling a bathroom medicinecabinet of the type having a front mirror which projects laterally fromall sides of the body of the cabinet. Such cabinets require carefulhandling and packaging and much difficulty has been experienced inadequately protecting the mirror with its outwardly projecting sides.Usually, the cabinets have been packed by hand and various types ofcushioning materials have been utilized with varying success. Obviously,hand packing is a tedious, time consuming and costly operation.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of this invention toprovide a completely automatic machine for setting up cartons in theirtubular form from blanks, in such a way that a cabinet with a cushioningstrip about it may be pushed into the waiting set up carton.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a novelmechanism for supporting a stack of cartons in their flat form and fordropping one carton at a time from the stack on a set up table.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and simplemeans embodying a swinging arm having picking points for setting up thecarton on the table in combination with a carton squaring up member andfor holding the carton in its set up tubular form during the pushing ofa cabinet therein.

Still another object of the invention is the employment of a simplifiedmeans for adjusting parts of the machine so that cabinets of varioussizes and cartons of different sizes can be used and successfullyhandled.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a carton set upmechanism which is simple in construction, reliable in its operation andnot liable to get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, and to the end of attaining anyother advantages hereinafter appearing, this invention consists incertain features of construction, and combination and arrangement ofparts, hereinafter described, pointed out in the claims and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which drawings,

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the complete cabinet packaging machine,shown ready for operation;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section through the rear half of the machine,the section being taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1 of the drawings,looking in the direction of the arrows, the view showing moreparticularly the 3,273,472 Patented Sept. 20, 1966 carton blanksupporting means and the carton blank set up means forming part of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view through the machine, taken onthe line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, andtoward the carton blank dropping mechanism and set up mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the machine, the sectionbeing taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 of the drawings, and the viewshowing in particular, details in the carton setting up and squaringmechanism;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE2, looking in the direction of the arrows, the view showing the cartonflat dropping mechanism and the carton setting up and squaringmechanism, with a carton in position ready to be set up and squared;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view through thepicker arm and showing one of the picker points for engaging the cartonbeing set up, and

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view, partly in top plan and partly insection, showing a cabinet with the cushioning peaked strip thereaboutpushed into a carton.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the letter M generally indicates the machine for wrapping and packagingcabinets in cartons and this machine is shown and described in ourPatent No. 3,247,645. The machine includes broadly, conveyor means 25for receiving articles (medicine cabinets C) from an advancing conveyor(not shown) leading from the factory assembly line. The machine M alsobroadly includes a peaked shock absorbing cushioning strip advancing andmeasuring mechanism 26, a guil- *lotine or severing mechanism 27 and astrip holding guiding and dropping mechanism 28. The peaked cushioningand shock absorbing strip is indicated by the reference letter S. Themachine -M further includes means 29 (forming part of the presentinvention) for receiving a stack of carton flats F, dropping one cartonflat at a time, and for setting up and squaring a dropped carton.Correlated means 24 is also provided for pushing an advancing cabinetoff of the conveyor 25 past the strip guiding and dropping means andinto a set up carton, and for carrying a carton packed with the cabinetand cushioning strip out of the machine. All of these parts aresupported on a suitable fabricated framework 30.

The means 29 for receiving a stack of carton flats F for dropping onefiat at a time and for setting up and squaring a dropped carton, is asstated, mounted on a part of the framework 30 and this part of theframework is increased in width to take care of the parts of themechanism 29. Hence, this framework 30 at this point includes rearupright standards 141 which are in longitudinal alignment with thestandards 57 and the standards 141 are connected with the standards 57by angle shaped frame bars 143. To form a stable base the standards 141and 57 are joined by base angle bars 144. The standards 141 are joinedat their top by a transversely extending beam 145 and this beam isparallel with and in the same horizontal plane as the T-shaped beam 135.The standards 141 are further connected by an intermediate rear crossbar 146. The bars 143 and 146 constitute means for supporting a flathorizontally disposed work table 147 which constitutes a part of themechanism 29.

Arranged above the table 147 is the hopper 148 for receiving a stack ofcarton flats F and the hopper carries the means for dropping one cartonflat at a time onto the table 147 where the same is automatically set upin its tubular or sleeve form. The hopper 148 includes pairs of uprighthopper brackets 149, which in effect constitute side Walls for thehopper. These brackets 149 and associated carton flat dropping means canbe adjusted transversely of the machine toward and away from one anotherso as to accurately set the machine for a certain size carton. As can beseen the pairs of hopper side brackets 149 are independent of oneanother and each pair of brackets is mounted on a carriage 150 to permitthe transverse adjustment thereof. Each carriage 150 includes a flatplate 151 on which the lowermost carton rests and the plate of eachcarriage is rigidly mounted upon a T-shaped supporting beam 152. Theplate 151 of each carriage slidably rests upon the upper surface of therear top frame beam 145 and the beam 135. The beams 152 ride between theframe beams 135 and 145. Each carriage 150 also includes outwardlyextending frame pieces 153 which are rigidly secured to plates 151 andthe beams 152. The extreme outer ends of the frame plates 153 arerigidly connected together by a short strap 154. This provides a ruggedcarriage structure for carrying the stack of carton flats F and certaincarton releasing mechanism as will now be set forth.

It is to be noted that the plates 151 of each carriage project inwardlya short distance from the brackets 149 and these projecting edges of theplates 151 constitute ledges or seats upon which the side edges of thecarton flats F rest. Each pair of brackets 149 of the carriage carryreciprocating pusher plates 155 for the carton flats and the bracketsare so formed at their bases to provide guides for these sliding pushers155. To form the guides, the bases of the brackets at their side edgesare separated by spacer plates 156 and the pushers 155 slide betweenthese spacer plates. The pusher plates 155 for each carriage are rigidlyconnected together by a cross strap 157 so that the pusher plates foreach carriage will function in unison. The pusher plates for eachcarriage rare actuated back and forth by air or hydraulic cylinders 158.The cylinders have projecting forwardly therefrom the actuating pistonrods 159 which are rigidly connected to the rear ends of the pusherplates 155 for each carriage. The entrance and exit of fluid from theopposite ends of the cylinders 158 for reciprocating the rods back andforth is controlled at proper times by means of a solenoid operatedvalve 160. The timing of these valves will be later set forth. Briefly,the means for dropping one carton flat at a time operates as follows,and this operation is best shown in FIGURE 5. At the proper time, fluidis admitted to the rear ends of the cylinders 158 for the pusher plates155 for one carriage on one side of the machine. As these plates at oneside move inwardly the same push the lowermost carton flat off of thesupporting plate 151 at that side of the machine and the carton flattilts. The pusher plates on this side return to their normal positionand the pusher plates 155 are moved forwardly by their cylinders and thelowermost flat is pushed off of the adjacent plate 151. The pusherplates 155 on this side of the machine are then immediately returned totheir normal position. The carton flat then drops onto the work or setup table 147. The carton flat is guided in its falling movement towardthe work or set up table 147 by a front vertically disposed guide plate161 and a rear guide plate 162. The front guide plate 161 can be securedat its lower end to an adjacent part of the frame 30 (see FIG. 4). Therear guide plate 162 can be adjustably carried by the plate 151 of onecarriage 150, as best shown in FIGURE 1. This rear guide terminatesabove the table 147 and above a set up carton so as to be out of thepath of a carton when the same is discharged from the machine. Besidesthe front and rear carton guide and stops 161 and 162, side guides 163and 164 are also provided for the edges of the carton flats, as will belater set out. However, the side guides 164 are secured to and dependfrom one carriage and preferably rare inwardly and downwardly inclined,as at 165.

To bring about the adjustment of the carriages 150 toward and away fromone another to agree with a certain size carton, the beams 152 havemounted on or formed thereon bearing brackets 166 which rotatablysupport adjusting shafts 167. These adjusting shafts can be turned bymeans of hand wheels or cranks. Each shaft has keyed or otherwisesecured thereto pinions 169 which mesh with rack bars 170 carried bybeams 135 and 145 of the frame. By turning these shafts the carriagescan be easily moved back and forth.

After a carton flat is dropped onto the work or set up table 147 thenovel means employed for setting up the carton is then brought intoplay, as will be now described. The cartons being handled are of acommon type and of a character which includes top and bottom walls 171and 172 joined by side walls 173. The carton is of course folded in itsflat condition along the juncture of the side walls with the top andbottom walls. The opposite ends of the top and bottom walls 171 and 172carry respectively side sealing flaps 174 and the side walls 173 carryend sealing flaps 175. With the carton in its flat condition these flaps175 lie in their extended positions. The carton opening means comprisesa picker mechanism 176 positioned on one side of the Work table 147 anddirectly below the pair of brackets 149 forming a part of one carriage.On the other side of the table is positioned a carton squaring upmechanism 177.

Now referring to the picking mechanism 176, the same includes a swingingpicker arm 178. This icker arm includes a frame 179 pivoted at its lowerend to brackets carried by a flat slide plate 180, which is adjustablymounted on the table 147. The frame includes side channels in which isslidably mounted a picker plate 181. The picker plate in turn carries aset of picker points 182. These picker points are provided with threadedstems 183 and the stems can be turned in the picker plate for minuteadjustment and can be held in such adjustment by lock nuts 184 (FIG. 6).The entire swinging picker arm 176 is actuated through the medium of anair or hydraulic cylinder 185. This'cylinder is pivoted at its outerend, as at 186, to a bracket 187 carried by the slide plate 180.Extending forwardly from the cylinder is the operating piston rod 188and this rod is pivotally connected, as at 189, to the picker plate 181of the picker arm 176. When fluid is admitted to the outer end of thecylinder 185 the piston rod 188 is thrustforwardly and the entire pickerarm will be swung down moving the points 182 into piercing and pickingengagement with the side wall of the carton. During this swingingmovement the cylinder 185 swings down and the picker plate slidesslightly in its frame to compensate for the swinging movement of thecylinder and swinging of the supporting frame of the swinging pickerarm.

When fluid is admitted to the inner end of the cylinder 185 then thepiston rod moves rearwardly and the entire picking arm is swung back toits raised position and this is aided by a contractile coil spring 198.The main purpose of the spring 196 is to retard the forward movement ofpicker arm 176 so that cylinder rod will force picker plate 181 to itsmaximum forward position when the picker points contact the carton. Theopposite ends of the spring 1 90 are secured to the picker arm 176 andto the slide plate 180. As the picker arm swings back to its normalposition the side Wall of the carton will be raised against the sidestops and guides 163 and the top wall 171 will be swung up carrying theother side wall therewith to a carton set up position, namely, in itstubular or sleeve form. The side guides and stops 163 are carried by theslide plate 186 and the upper ends thereof abut adjacent adjustablestops 163 carried by an adjacent carriage 150. As the carton flat isbeing opened up by the picker arm 176 the squaring up mechanism 177comes into play.

This carton squaring up mechanism 177 includes a flat arm 191 whichnormally lies within an Opening 192 in the table top 147 so that saidarm will be flush with the table top and a dropped carton flat normallyres-ts on said arm 191. The inner end of the arm is pivoted, as at 193,to the table top at a point adjacent to the point of the juncture of theside wall of the carton with its bottom wall. Hence, as the squaring uparm 191 is raised this arm pushes up on the side wall of the cartonwhich is opposite to the side wall raised by the picker arm. Thesquaring up arm carries a top squaring up plate 194 and this topsquaring up plate extends at right angles to the squaring up arm 191. Ifdesired an adjusting means 195 can be provided for locating the topsquaring up plate 194 in an exact position on the arm 191. The meansemployed for actuating the squaring up mechanism 177 preferably consistsof an air or hydraulic cylinder 196 and the cylinder 196 is pivoted, asat 197, to a bracket 198 carried by the lower face of the table 147.Extending upwardly and forwardly from the cylinder 196 is a piston rod199 which is in turn pivoted as at 200 to the squaring up plate 191. Itcan be seen that when fluid is admitted to the outer end of the cylinderthe piston rod will be forced forwardly moving the squaring up mechanismto a raised position and carrying the carton therewith into its tubularform. When the direction of fluid is reversed the piston rod 199 ispulled inwardly and the squaring up mechanism is then pulled down to itsnormal position.

The flow of fiuid to the opposite ends of the cylinder is controlled bya suitable solenoid operated valve.

With the carton in its set up condition (FIG. 4), the same is now readyto receive a cabinet C (FIG. 7) and at this time the pusher 47 movesforwardly and pushes a cabinet between the space of the platformsections 56 into engagement with the cushioning strip S and as thecabinet is further advanced the strip is folded around the sides of thecabinet. Means is provided for facilitating the guiding of the cabinetout into the open carton with the strip thereabout. While this guidemeans is not critical to the present invention, it will be described indetail, for a better understanding .of the same, and therefore, thisguide means includes swinging spring pressed guide gates 201 rockablymounted on posts 202 carried by the platform sections 56 adjacent totheir inner edges. The gates are spring urged to a normal positionacross the space between the platform sections 56 and hence an advancingcabinet will push these gates inwardly and the gates will press againstthe cushioning strip S and help to hold the folded sides of the stripagainst the side edges of the mirror portion of the cabinet. As theguide gates swing inwardly the same engage and push out on the sidecarton flaps 175 and the gates and the flaps cooperate to guide thecabinet into the set up carton. By referring to FIGURE 4, it can be seenthat the gates at their lower ends and adjacent to their pivot posts areprovided with ears 203 to which are attached contractile coil springs204. The outer ends of the springs are secured to the platform sections56.

Suspended from the T-beam 135 is a flexible curtain 205 and this curtainextends directly in the path of a forward-1y moving carton. The curtaincan be made from heavy rubber sheeting or a desired plastic material.Hence, when an advancing cabinet is swinging back the guide galtes 201the same is also swinging back the flexible curtain and this curtainswings under and helps to lift up the top carton flap 174 and thecarton, and this flap also acts to guide the cabinet into the carton.

With the cabinet pusher 47 (FIG. 7) in its extreme advanced position andwith a cabinet in a carton the loaded carton is now ready to be movedout of the machine. The means for moving a loaded carton out of themachine cooperates with and is actuated by the cabinet pushingmechanism, and includes an endless chain 206,

6 The chain is located under the work table 147 and directly beneath alongitudinally extending slot 207 formed on the table top. The lowerstretch of the chain is operatively connected to the pusher arms by aforwardly extending connecting rod 208. Hence, as the pusher isreciprocated back and forth the upper stretch of the endless chain isalso moved back and forth. The chain can be trained about spacedsprocket wheels 209 rotatably mounted upon cross shafts 210 carried bydepending brackets formed on or secured to the lower face of the table147. The other stretch of the chain has pivotally connected thereto acarton grappling hook 211. The hook 211 normally lies down on the upperstretch of the chain. As the pusher mechanism moves forwardly the lowerstretch of the chain 206 is pushed rearwardly and the upper stretchforwardly, carrying the hook 211 therewith. At the end of the pusherstroke the hook rides up on a cam shoe 212 to a position with the hookterminal thereof disposed above the table top. As the cabinet pushermoves forwardly to its normal returned position the same through themedium of the connecting rod 208 pulls the lower chain stretch forwardlyand the upper chain stretch rearwardly. With the hook 211 ridingforwardly with the chain the same engages a loaded carton and moves theloaded carton out of the machine.

Thus, it can be seen that the entire machine M forming a part of ourcopending application, provides means for receiving cabinets from afactory conveyor system, for advancing the cabinets one at a time byconveyor and pusher toward a cushioning strip and holding mechanism andfor folding the strip around the mirror portion of a cabinet, and thatnovel mechanism as described in the present invention is then providedfor dropping a carton flat, for setting up the carton flat in itstubular form and for then pushing a cabinet with the strip thereaboutinto the carton, and finally, pulling a loaded carton from the machine.

While we have shown and described certain specific embodiments of theinvention, it will be understood that these embodiments are merely forthe purpose of illustration and description, that various other formsmay be devised, and changes made in proportions and minor details ofconstruction without departing from the spirit of the invention or scopeof the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A carton flat set up mechanism including a table for receiving acarton flat, said carton being of the type including top and bottomwalls and connecting side walls and closure flaps carried by the ends ofthe top and bottom walls and end walls, a swinging picker plate carriedby said table and disposed adjacent to one edge of a carton flat on thetable, said carton flat being received on said table with its top walland respective side wall uppermost and with said respective side walladjacent said picker plate means for swinging the picker plate back andforth over one side wall of a carton on the table, and picker pointscarried by said plate adapted to penetrate said side wall of the cartonwhen the picker plate is swung over the flap for raising said side Wallupon upward swinging movement of the picker plate for lifting said flapto a raised set up position.

2. A carton flat set up mechanism as defined in claim 1, and a cartonsquaring up mechanism pivotally carried by the table and located on theother side of the table from the picker plate and movable to a raisedand lowered position with the hinged point thereof disposed directlybelow the juncture of a side wall with the bottom wall of the cartonflat.

3. A carton fiat set up mechanism including a set up table, a hopper forreceiving a stack of carton flats disposed above the table, means fordropping one carton flat at a time on the table, squaring up and guidearms on said table projecting toward the hopper and against which theedge of a carton flat is adapted to rest when the same is on the table,a picker plate hingedly mounted upon the table between the squaring upand guide rods movable downwardly over a carton and movable upwardly toa raised position beyond the squaring up arm, penetrating picker pointscarried by the plate adapted to penetrate the side wall of a carton flatwhen the plate is in its lowered position and for moving the side wallto a raised position upon its upward swinging movement, and a pivotedsquaring up plate carried by the table in spaced relation to the pickerplate for engaging the side wall of the carton opposite to the wallengaged by the picker plate, said picker points being withdrawn fromsaid carton side Wall when the pivoted squaring up plate engages theopposite side wall and with the picker plate in its fully raisedposition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,989,286- 1/1935Milmoe 93-53 2,827,838 3/1958 Pearson et al 93-53 X 2,902,279 9/ 1959Spiatto 271-44 3,030,868 4/ 196 2 Flack 9351 10 3,111,066 11/1963Birch-Iensen et al. 9353 BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner.

1. A CARTON FLAT SET UP MECHANISM INCLUDING A TABLE FOR RECEIVING ACARTON FLAT, SAID CARTON BEING OF THE TYPE INCLUDING TOP AND BOTTOMWALLS AND CONNECTING SIDE WALLS AND CLOSURE FLAPS CARRIED BY THE ENDS OFTHE TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS AND END WALLS, A SWINGING PICKER PLATE CARRIEDBY SAID TABLE AND DISPOSED ADJACENT TO ONE EDGE OF A CARTON FLAT ON THETABLE, SAID CARTON FLAT BEING RECEIVED ON SAID TABLE WITH ITS TOP WALLAND RESPECTIVE SIDE WALL UPPERMOST AND WITH SAID RESPECTIVE SIDE WALLADJACENT SAID PICKER PLATE MEANS FOR SWINGING THE PICKER PLATE BACK ANDFORTH OVER ONE SIDE WALL OF A CARTON ON THE TABLE, AND PICKER POINTSCARRIED BY SAID PLATE ADAPTED TO PENETRATE SAID SIDE WALL OF THE CARTONWHEN THE PICKER PLATE IS SWUNG OVER THE FLAP FOR RAISING SAID SIDE WALLUPON UPWARD SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE PICKER PLATE FOR LIFTING SAID FLAPTO A RAISED SET UP POSITION.